Device for heating and emulsifying beverages

ABSTRACT

Device for heating and emulsifying beverages includes a pump (2), an air and water meeting zone (10), a device for producing steam, and a first conduit (5) for steam mixed with air that communicates with a steam wand (6) adapted to be immersed into a beverage (7) to be heated and emulsified. The device for producing steam includes an instant steam generator (4). The meeting zone (10) is positioned before the instant steam generator (4).

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to Italy Application No.102018000001717, filed Jan. 24, 2018. The above-identified relatedapplication is incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF USE

The present invention refers to a device for heating and emulsifyingbeverages and in particular milk-based beverages.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As known, currently, the devices for heating and emulsifying milk-basedbeverages comprise a device for producing steam that is defined by asteam boiler into which cold air under pressure coming from a source ofcompressed air and cold water coming from a pump are delivered.

Downstream of the boiler, there is a conduit for steam mixed with aircommunicating with a steam wand adapted to be immersed into the beverageto be heated and emulsified.

The devices disclosed above have the drawback of not ensuring correctmixing of the air and the steam because, as seen, the cold air isdelivered directly inside the boiler, forming therein three distinctareas of hot water, air and steam.

This phenomenon occurs because the cold air injected inside the boiler,for example at a temperature of 25° C., has a higher specific volumethan the steam inside the boiler (for example water vapour at 2.5 bar)and in turn different from the specific volume of the water.

The above entails stratification of steam in the upper part of theboiler and air and water in the lower part of the boiler because thespecific volumes are different and no stirring motions are present.

At the moment in which the steam is drawn off from the boiler to heatand froth the milk, this stratification does not ensure correcthomogenization of the steam/air mixture, which is drawn, which has anegative effect on the milk frothing quality.

This problem is aggravated further if the outlet channel from the boileris positioned in the upper part of the boiler in the zone where thesteam stratifies. Further, using a steam storage boiler implies that theboiler must have the appropriate pressure and temperature resistancefeatures even in the rest condition.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The task of the present invention is to make a device for heating andemulsifying beverages that eliminates the aforementioned technicaldrawbacks of the prior art. As part of this task, one aim of theinvention is to make a device for heating and emulsifying beverages thatavoids using a pressurised receptacle that has to maintain high pressureand temperature for a long period.

A further aim of the invention is to make a device for heating andemulsifying beverages that enables water and/or air to be added at anymoment inside the vaporizer, even if the device is operating, ensuringsignificant practicality and an undisputed time saving.

A further aim of the invention is to make a device for heating andemulsifying beverages that permits instant and continuous vaporizationaccording to need. Another aim of the invention is to make a device forheating and emulsifying beverages that ensures perfect mixing betweenthe air and water before the mixture thereof is delivered inside theinstant pressure generator.

A further aim of the invention is to make a device for heating andemulsifying beverages that permits perfect emulsification of thebeverage.

This task, as well as these and other objects are achieved by a devicefor heating and emulsifying beverages comprising a pump, an air andwater meeting zone, a device for producing steam and a first conduit forsteam mixed with air communicating with a steam wand adapted to beimmersed into the beverage to be heated and emulsified, characterized inthat said device for producing steam comprises an instant steamgenerator and that said meeting zone is positioned before said instantsteam generator.

Further features of the present invention are further defined in theclaims appended to the main claim that define the structure of thedevice better.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the invention will more fully emergefrom the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of thedevice for heating and emulsifying beverages according to the invention,illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the attached drawing, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a view of the operating diagram of the device according to theinvention;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

With particular reference to the FIGURE disclosed above, the device forheating and emulsifying beverages is indicated overall by the number 1.

The device 1 comprises a pump 2 that sucks water from a water storagetank 3 of the pump and send the water to an air and water meeting zone10 placed after the pump 2 but before a device for producing steamdefined, advantageously, by an instant steam generator 4.

In particular, the pump 2 is preferably a vibration pump and draws thewater from the tank 3 by a first water conduit 12 and sends the water tosaid meeting zone 10 by a second water conduit 13.

The steam generator 4 is advantageously switched off but ready for useimmediately and does not require long startup times.

A first conduit 5 for steam mixed with air communicating with a steamwand 6 adapted to be immersed in the preferably milk-based beverage 7 tobe heated and emulsified is connected to the instant steam generator 4.

The device 1 comprises a source of compressed air 8 that communicateswith said meeting zone 10 by an air conduit 11 on which there is a firstvalve system for blocking or modulating the flow of air associated withsaid air conduit and in particular a flow adjuster 16 and a non-returnvalve 17.

The flow adjuster 16 and the non-return valve 17 could be possiblyreplaced by a single valve, which is not shown, which can be activatedappropriately for blocking or modulating the flow of air inside the airconduit 11.

Advantageously, the device 1 comprises a second conduit 14 for watermixed with air that communicates on one side with the meeting zone 10and on the other side with the instant steam generator.

The second conduit 14 enters the interior of said instant steamgenerator 4 directly, supplying the latter with a homogeneous water/airmixture so as to ensure optimum vaporization thereof.

Advantageously, in this manner the water and air simultaneously enteringthe vaporizer are heated: the water is boiled and the air expands.

The turbulence caused by the boiling process and by the expansion of theair creates whirling motions that ensure correct mixing of the steam andair adapted to optimizing the frothing or emulsifying and heatingprocess of the beverage.

The steam wand 6 comprises a thermal probe 15 for detecting thetemperature of the beverage 7.

Management of the device 1 is entrusted to a control unit CPU 20 that isconnected, as visible in FIG. 1 with a broken line, to the pump 2, thesource of compressed air 8, the instant steam generator 4, the probe 15and at least one first valve 21 to lower pressure inside the instantsteam generator 4 up to ambient pressure and ensure emptying of thegenerator 4 when in the rest condition.

The control unit 20 is further connected to at least one second valve 22for restoring the ambient pressure between the first valve and the steamwand.

In the light of what has been said, it is possible to diversify at willthe operating sequences of the device 1.

For example, it is possible to activate the source of compressed airbefore or at the same time as the water pump 2 or interrupt the sourceof compressed air during the operating cycle of the device so as to beable to modulate at will the volume of the froth with respect to thedesired heating of the beverage.

The device according to the invention operates as follows.

The user uses the dedicated selector 30 to switch on the device and thecontrol unit 20 reads the signal of the temperature probe 15 that startsto record the temperature of the beverage.

Subsequently, the control unit 20 activates the pump 2 and the instantsteam generator 4 together with the two discharge valves 21 and 22.

The steam starts to flow in the steam wand 6 and heat the beverage 7.

When the set temperature is reached (for example 30° C.) the controlunit 20 also activates the air compression source 8.

The mixture of water and air is formed in the meeting zone 10 placedbefore the instant steam generator 4 and, after the passage through thelatter, flows into the beverage, continuing heating and emulsificationof the beverage.

When the desired temperature is reached, for example 65° C., the controlunit deactivates the pump, the instant steam generator and the twovalves whereas the source of compressed air continues to be activatedfor a few seconds to ensure emptying of the instant steam generator 4.

The device for heating and emulsifying beverages as conceived herein issusceptible to many modifications and variations, all falling within thescope of the inventive concept; furthermore, all the details arereplaceable by technically equivalent elements.

In practice the materials used, as well as the dimensions, can be anyaccording to the needs and the state of the art.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A device for heating and emulsifyingbeverages comprising: a pump (2), an air and water meeting zone (10), adevice for producing steam that comprises an instant steam generator(4), where the meeting zone (10) is positioned after said pump (2) andbefore said instant steam generator (4); a first conduit (5) for steammixed with air communicating with a steam wand (6) adapted to beimmersed in a beverage (7) to be heated and emulsified; and a controlunit (20) connected to at least said pump (2), to a source of compressedair (8), to said instant steam generator (4), to a thermal probe (15) ofsaid steam wand (6), and to at least one first valve (21), wherein thecontrol unit (20) is configured to control said at least one first valve(21) to lower pressure inside the instant steam generator (4) up toambient pressure and to ensure emptying of the instant steam generator(4) when in a rest condition.
 2. The device according to claim 1,further comprising a source of compressed air (8) that communicates withsaid meeting zone (10) via an air conduit (11).
 3. The device accordingto claim 1, wherein said pump (2) draws water from a tank (3) through afirst water conduit (12) and sends the water to said meeting zone (10)through a second water conduit (13).
 4. The device according to claim 1,further comprising a second conduit (14) for water mixed with air thatcommunicates on one side with said meeting zone (10) and on the otherside with said instant steam generator.
 5. The device according to claim1, wherein said steam wand comprises a thermal probe (15) for detectinga temperature of said beverage.
 6. The device according to claim 1,wherein a source of compressed air (8) and said pump (2) send cold airand cold water to said meeting zone (10).
 7. The device according toclaim 1, wherein a second conduit (14), for water mixed with air thatcommunicates on one side with said meeting zone (10) and on the otherside with said instant steam generator (4), enters directly inside saidinstant steam generator (4), and is configured to supply the instantsteam generator (4) with a homogeneous water/air mixture.
 8. The deviceaccording to claim 7, wherein said first conduit (5) for steam mixedwith air comprises at least one first valve (21) for reducing pressureinside said instant steam generator to ambient pressure and ensuringemptying of the instant steam generator in the rest condition.
 9. Thedevice according to claim 8, wherein said first conduit (5) for steammixed with air comprises at least one second valve (22) for restoringambient pressure between said first valve (21) and said steam wand (6).10. The device according to claim 1, wherein said pump (2) is avibration pump.
 11. The device according to claim 1, further comprisinga first valve system for blocking or modulating a flow of air associatedwith an air conduit (11).
 12. The device according to claim 1, whereinthe control unit (20) is further connected to at least one second valve(22), wherein the control unit (20) is further configured to control theat least one second valve (22) to restore ambient pressure between thefirst valve (21) and the steam wand (6).
 13. The device according toclaim 12, wherein the control unit (20) is further configured to: 1)activate the source of compressed air (8) before activation of the pump(2); 2) activate the source of compressed air (8) at the same time asactivation of the pump (2); or 3) interrupt the source of compressed air(8) during an operating cycle of the device to modulate as desired avolume of froth relative to a degree of heating of the beverage (7).